Table of Contents:
Welcome & contact information _________________________________ 3
Program Mission & Goals ________________________________________4
Program Overview _____________________________________________5
· Curriculum ______________________________________________5
· Academic Policies/Issues___________________________________ 6-7
· Attendance Policy ________________________________________ 8-9
· Level Placement _________________________________________ 9
· Academic Progress/Level Advancement _______________________10-11
· Eligibility for College level classes____________________________ 12
· Letters of Completion/Completion Certificates/Transcripts _______ 13-14
NSC International Student Resources
· General Resources for IEP Students__________________________15
· Medical Insurance _______________________________________ 16
· Campus Map ____________________________________________ 17
Northgate Community
· Northgate Community ____________________________________ 18-19
· Bus & Transit Option _____________________________________ 20
Welcome:
Dear Students,
Welcome to the Intensive English Program (IEP) at North Seattle College. We hope you have an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience that exceeds your expectations.
As a part of the NSC programs, the IEP also strives to meet these campus-wide Essential Learning Outcomes: Intellectual and Practical Skills, Communication and Self Expression and Information Literacy. The IEP believes that within the context of learning English as a second language, it is important for the students to also be introduced to American academic culture. As such IEP abides by the academic standards set for college as a whole.
Contact Information:
Curtis Bonney, Dean Basic and Transitional Studies
Office: IB 2408B
Appointments: 206-934-4551
Email:
Ryan Packard, Executive Director International Programs
Office: CC 2461D
Appointments: 206-934-3672
Email:
Anne Forester, Associate Dean, IEP
Office: IB 3411A
Phone: 206-934-4554
Email:
Jo Scozzafava, Manager, IEP
Office: CC 2461B
Phone: 206-934-3732
Email:
Viki Bradley, Sponsored Students
Office: CC 2461E
Phone: 206-934-4404
Email:
Mission:
The Intensive English Program's mission at North Seattle College is to provide academic English language training to students whose native language is not English. The purpose of the program is to prepare English language learners to succeed in an academic environment.
Goals:
1. To develop the English language and study skills of international students in preparation for academic study at college.
2. To facilitate intercultural awareness and understanding among students in IEP classes.
3. To assist international students in their transition to American culture and the American education system.
IEP’s instruction, services, and practices are in compliance with the standards of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Code of Ethics of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Program Overview:
Curriculum:
The IEP classes at NSC are for non-native speakers of English who are international students. The program consists of six levels, 1-6. Each level consists of 20 weekly contact hours over three classes: Grammar & Writing, Reading & Vocabulary, and Speaking & Listening.
Grammar/Writing:
The Grammar /Writing classes are 10 hours per week and begin with an emphasis on literacy, basic vocabulary, and simple sentence/question production, spelling awareness, writing mechanics and basic punctuation. In the higher level courses, the Grammar and Writing classes are focusing on essays, learning to perform and apply critical thinking to research, and incorporating appropriate research into essays, including summarizing, synthesizing, and paraphrasing in order to avoid plagiarism. Previously covered grammar is also reviewed as required, with special attention to trouble spots.
Reading/Vocabulary:
The Reading/Vocabulary classes are 5 hours per week and begin by introducing and/or expanding vocabulary and reading comprehension of basic texts. The classes build reading skills and strategies to assist the students as they progress in their language studies. In the higher level courses, the emphasis is on academic vocabulary, comprehension, and formulation of short and essay-length answers to questions. Additionally, the students focus on analyzing and summarizing academic reading materials.
Listening/Speaking:
The Listening/Speaking classes are also 5 hours per week. In these classes, the instruction begins with lessons on correct pronunciation of sounds and words, level-appropriate listening comprehension, and communicating in English. Throughout Levels 2-6, the focus is on practicing, developing, and improving listening and speaking skills. The students learn to listen to lectures and take basic notes and then progress to increasingly more advanced notes while listening to more detailed lectures. They use lecture notes to create detailed outlines and discussions of the lectures. Additionally, the students give oral presentations on a variety of topics. The presentations time and usage of visual aids progressively increases as the students move through the levels.
Class Syllabus:
Each teacher will give you a syllabus at the start of the quarter. Make sure you read it and follow all of the policies and procedures on the syllabus.
Textbook:
Your syllabus will state the textbook you need for that class. Bring your syllabus to the bookstore and show it to the bookstore salesperson in order to purchase your book. You cannot have a book with the answers already written in it. You must have your textbook with you in your class by the third class of the quarter. If you do not, the teacher can ask you to leave the class, and you will receive an absence for the day. You may not attend class again until you have your textbook.
Breaks during class:
You will be given a ten minute break for every sixty minutes of class time. Instructors have their own policy about bathroom breaks outside of the class break. Most instructors do not allow bathroom breaks during exams.
Academic Dishonesty:
Students are expected to be honest in taking their tests and doing their coursework. Here in the U.S., both are unacceptable and considered serious academic crimes. Academic dishonesty may cause you to fail your classes and/or be dismissed from NSC. ALWAYS do your own work.
Cheating/Plagiarism:
Cheating/plagiarism is when you copy or memorize ideas or text from a friend, relative, or classmate or from a book, magazine, newspaper, live/recorded lecture or the Internet and pretend it is your own work. It is also cheating if you use work you did for a previous class. It is easily discovered and will result with failure on the assignment and potentially failing the course. It can also result in failure and dismissal from the program. With all of your school work, both the choice of words and the grammatical structure must be your own.
Giving false information or failing to provide correct information is when a teacher, advisor or other college employee asks you about something or makes a request for information and you do not tell the truth when responding or you tell only part of the truth. Examples of giving false information include the following: saying you missed class because of illness when you were not sick or telling an advisor or other school employee that a teacher said or did something that they, in fact, did not say or do. Submission of forged or altered documents or furnishing false information are all serious crimes and can result in disciplinary action, including immediate dismissal from the program.
To avoid giving false information, follow these basic rules:
1. Submit only documents that are true, real and authentic.
2. Never change anything on a doctor’s note, identity card, bank statement, transcript or any other official document.
3. Tell the truth about reasons you’ve missed class or did not complete an assignment.
4. Always be honest when responding to a college employee’s request for information.
Student Responsibilities, Behavioral Expectations, and Consequences of Noncompliance:
NSC expects all students to be respectful. When an instructor talks to a student about a behavior problem, the student is expected to comply without argument.
· If the student argues or refuses to comply, he/she will be asked to leave the class and he/she will receive an absence for that day.
· If a teacher has to talk to the student three times during a class session about any disruptive issue and the student complies each time, but then repeats the action, that student will be asked to leave and will receive an absence for the day.
Specific rules of compliance:
1. You must have your textbook by the third day of class. Bring your textbook every day. Not purchasing your books or not bringing your books to class will hurt your grades and limit your ability to fully participate, learn, and make academic progress in your classes. Please do NOT bring a photocopy of any textbook to class. Photocopying books is illegal and a violation of international copyright laws.
Noncompliance: If you do not have your textbook by the third day of class, you will be asked to leave class, you will receive an absence, and you will not be permitted in class until you have your textbook. If you come to class three times without your required text, your teacher may ask you to leave the class and not return until you have a textbook. This will count as an absence.
2. While in class, you need to do your work and participate.
Noncompliance: When a teacher has told you to do your work or participate and you refuse to comply or you comply each time, but then repeat the action three times, you will be asked to leave and you will receive an absence for the day.
3. Show respect to those around you while in class. This means the following:
a. Do not use an electronic device without permission. Cell phones and other electronic devices may only be used during class time with instructor permission. Texting, listening to music, surfing, shopping, and talking on the phone during class is disruptive and considered extremely rude. During a test, no electronic device is allowed on your desk without teacher permission.
b. Do not sleep in class, talk while the teacher or another student is talking, or laugh at/criticize other students when they make mistakes.
c. Do not bring food or drinks to class unless your instructor approves it.
Noncompliance: When a teacher has talked to you about any of the above and you refuse to comply or you comply each time, but then repeat the action three times, you will be asked to leave and you will receive an absence for the day.
Campus rule: No tobacco products are allowed on campus. You cannot smoke on campus.
Attendance Policy:
If you have any attendance questions, please email Anne Forester, the Associate Dean of the Intensive English Program
Students must come to class every day. If you know you are going to be absent, tell your teacher immediately. If an illness or emergency causes you to miss class, contact your teachers by email (see the class syllabus for your teacher’s email address) to let them know you need to miss class and how long you expect to be absent. Absences cannot be excused by teachers. If there is a serious issue, please tell your teacher and email Anne Forester, the Associate Dean of the Intensive English Program. Please understand that illness, even when verified by a doctor's note, does not mean you will not be counted absent or that you do not have to do your class work. Missing class is not an excuse for not doing assignments. Call another student or email your teacher so you can keep up with your assignments.
Absences and personal problems: If you have personal problems that make it hard to come to class such as family problems, health issues, depression, or other emotional difficulties, please let Anne Forester, the Associate Dean of the Intensive English Program and/or your teacher know. We will do our best to help you.
Missing days of any class will result in the following:
FALL, WINTER, and SPRING QUARTERS (10 weeks)
5 absences: Warning notice
10 absences: You will fail the class, but you must continue attending and participating to avoid being suspended from NSCC.
15 absences: Your I-20 is terminated and you are suspended from NSCC for 1 year.
SUMMER QUARTER (8 weeks)
3 absences: Warning notice
6 absences: You will fail the class, but you must continue attending and participating to avoid being dismissed from NSCC.
9 absences: Your I-20 is terminated and you are suspended from NSCC for 1 year.
Being late (tardy) to class: Arriving to class late (tardy) is disruptive and considered disrespectful to the teacher and other students. It also causes you to miss important information. If you are more than 5 minutes late for the start of your class or from break three (3) times, it is considered one absence. If you are more than 30+ minutes late or leave 30+ minutes early in your Grammar/Writing class it is counted as one absence. For Reading/Vocabulary and Listening/Speaking, if you are 15+ minutes late or leaves 15+ minutes early, it is considered an absence. Each individual teacher may have a more severe policy for being late, so come to class on time and return from break on time every day.
Absences and tests, projects, and assignments: Do not miss exams, quizzes, presentations, projects or major writing assignments. Your instructor is not required to allow you to take missed exams or quizzes, or turn in essays, projects or presentations late, even if you are absent due to illness or emergency and have a doctor’s note. If you miss a test or do not complete or turn in an assignment on time, you may receive a failing grade on the test or assignment.
Absences and final exams:
Your teachers will tell you the dates of your final exams. You may NOT take any final exam early or late. If you are not present on the day of your final exam, you will fail the exam and therefore not pass to the next level.
IEP Level Placements:
International students in the IEP program are given the IEP placement test during Orientation week. The students are administered a timed writing exam where they respond to a writing prompt. Additionally, they are given an untimed computerized ESL COMPASS exam. The written exam is read by the placement committee while the ESL COMPASS scores are tabulated electronically. The Placement Committee scores the students according to an established rubric and the tabulated scores. Written exams and tabulated scores are combined to place students in the appropriate IEP level (levels 1 to 6). Students are then enrolled in their assigned classes. Schedules are accessed via the web or available to pick up in person at the International Programs Office.
IEP Level Change: Changing Classes (Add/Drop)
· Class Changes: Students may not make changes to their class schedule. We cannot make changes in order for you to have a specific teacher, a certain class time, to be with friends/family, or for any other reason. If you repeat a class, you will be placed with a different teacher whenever possible unless working with that teacher again will be the best fit for the student’s growth.
· Level changes for students: Level changes are done ONLY by teacher recommendation based on the results of an in-class diagnostic test or essay given on the first day or two of the quarter. The teacher must initiate the change. Because placement levels are based on test results and instructors’ assessments of English language proficiency, student requests to change levels cannot be considered. If a student misses the first assessments they cannot be made up and the student cannot change levels.